# May Update: Beltane and Need Fires

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-three-ravens-podcast-6092563/may-update-beltane-and-need-fires
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-three-ravens-podcast-6092563/may-update-beltane-and-need-fires.md
Podcast: [The Three Ravens Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-three-ravens-podcast-6092563)
Published: 2026-05-01T05:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://www.threeravenspodcast.com/
Audio file: https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/6404e1f4c5ea8c0011811194/e/69f3a5f2e1fad0f98a0429d4/media.mp3
Processing state: processed
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-three-ravens-podcast-6092563/episodes/may-update-beltane-and-need-fires
Duration seconds: 5051

## Resource

In this month's update episode we're chatting all about Beltane - which is happening right now - as well as "Need Fires" and why they're so special. After recapping the key traditions associated with Beltane, and discussing the wider traditions of using 'Virgin Flames' to purify livestock and people, we share a bunch of our news, two awesome pieces of music sent in by listeners, and we have also included the opening chunks of April's two Patreon Exclusive episodes. First comes the opening 25 minutes of Nine Sacred Trees #1: Birch, which is followed by the first part of our Film Club episode all about Val Guest's 1955 British-American sci-fi movie The Quatermass Xperiment . We really hope you enjoy the fun mix and blend, and will speak to you tomorrow on our Three Ravens Live Show all about Maytide Folklore recorded at Treadwells Books in London! Three Ravens is a Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon. Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on a historic county, exploring the heritage, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past... Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county. With a range of exclusive content on Patreon too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club…

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## Transcript

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